Sound Insulation Testing

Sound Insulation Testing Under Part E

Part E of the Building Regulations requires pre-completion sound insulation testing on separating walls and floors in new residential developments and conversions. Tests measure both airborne and impact sound transmission and must be passed and submitted to building control before a completion certificate can be issued. Build Energy carries out Part E testing across England and Wales, advising on likely failure points before testing begins to maximise first-time pass rates.

Sound Insulation Testing – New Buildings

In order to comply with Part E of the Building Regulations, developments will require the testing of separating walls and floors. The only exception is where pre-tested and certified Robust Details have been used.

Sound Insulation Testing checks for both airborne and impact travel through new or existing buildings. This may affect party walls and floors between new and existing buildings, or between spaces within a new development entirely.

Do you require Sound Insulation Testing? You will if you:

• Build a new development of 2 or more attached dwellings / flats
• Convert a former single dwelling into flats
• Build a nursing home or rooms for residential use, i.e hotel or hostel
• Have designs which do not adhere to Robust Construction Details

Want to know more? Take a look at Sound Insulation Testing – The Info.

Complete Acoustic Services

To enable us to deliver our services across the whole of the UK, we partner closely with the best UKAS and ANC accredited engineers and consultants. Our engineers have over 50 Years experience in the field of acoustics, and have carried out hundreds of tests and surveys all over the UK.

We can help with:

• Sound Insulation Testing
• Environmental Noise Consultancy
• BB93 Acoustic Design in Schools
• Planning Policy Guidance
• Acoustic Design
• Acoustic Enclosure Design and Build
• Noise Mapping & Prediction
• Noise at Work

Sound insulation testing results feed directly into the building control completion process. For acoustic specification, see Acoustic Consultancy. For planning-stage noise surveys, see Noise Impact Surveys. For further information on sound insulation, see Sound Insulation Testing – The Info. Return to the Acoustics hub.

When is sound insulation testing required?

Sound insulation testing under Approved Document E is required for new dwellings and residential conversions to demonstrate compliance with Part E of the Building Regulations. Testing is required on completion and must be carried out by a suitably qualified acoustic tester. Results must be submitted to building control before a completion certificate is issued.

What does sound insulation testing measure?

Part E testing measures airborne sound insulation between rooms (walls and floors between dwellings) and impact sound insulation (floors between dwellings). Results are expressed as DnT,w+Ctr (airborne) and L’nT,w (impact). The minimum values required under Part E are DnT,w+Ctr ≥ 45 dB for walls and floors and L’nT,w ≤ 62 dB for floors.

How many tests are needed for a residential development?

The number of tests depends on the development size and type. Under the Robust Standard Details (RSD) sampling regime, a minimum of 1 set of tests per 10 dwellings of each dwelling type is required. For new-build schemes not using RSDs, all separating elements must be tested or a sampling protocol agreed with building control.

What happens if a test fails?

If a separating element fails Part E testing, the cause must be identified and remediated before re-testing. Common causes of failure include flanking transmission through concrete slabs, poorly fitted resilient layers, gaps in separating walls or inadequate acoustic floor screed. Build Energy advises on remediation and carries out re-tests.

Does Build Energy also carry out pre-completion acoustic surveys?

Yes. Build Energy can carry out pre-completion acoustic surveys to identify likely failure points before the formal Part E test. This allows contractors to remediate any defects before the test, reducing the risk of failing and the associated cost of re-testing and remediation.